Welcome to the latest edition of the Sisvel Insights weekly round-up, aggregating news stories, analyses and data points affecting the SEP world that have caught our eye over the past seven days.

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The back and forth between the top European and US patent courts over a suit originally filed in Munich by NPE Onesta asserting two US patents against BMW continued last week, with more twists and turns. On 13 January, Judge Alan Albright granted the automaker an anti-suit injunction barring Onesta from proceeding with its Munich suits.

However, on Friday came the news that the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit had put a temporary freeze on the award. This means that, for now, the German litigation is still in play. Whether this survives a more substantive examination of the merits by the CAFC remains to be seen.

That US patents are being asserted in a German court is unusual, to say the least. This is why the case is being closely watched throughout the global patent community. The outcome could have a significant impact on licensing and litigation. It is certainly one to keep a close eye on.

Elsewhere, Nokia’s chief licensing officer for new segments revealed a surge in the company’s video-related deals; and a new report showed a steep decline in the number of patent applications received by the USPTO in 2025. Meanwhile, various members of the Sisvel team gave their predictions about what 2026 might mean for the licensing market.

Please note that the inclusion of a piece in the list below does not signify agreement with what is stated in the linked article – just that we believe it is of interest and worth flagging.

Market

Nokia has signed seven bilateral licence agreements with video streaming companies, the company’s chief licensing officer for new segments has revealed. Read more (Nokia blog)

Huawei returned to the top spot in Chinese smartphone shipments in 2025, while the overall market saw a small decrease in the number of sales. Read more (Omdia)

Legal

The CAFC has paused an injunction granted in the Western District of Texas barring Onesta from asserting two US patents against BMW in the Munich Regional Court. Read more (Law 360) 🔒

The Tokyo District Court plans to publish a framework covering court-guided settlements, submissions-led determination of infringement and validity issues in SEP cases. Read more (MIP) 🔒

Acer has brought cellular SEP claims against the big three US operators: AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. Read more (ip fray) 🔒

Policy & Opinion

Members of the Sisvel team share their key milestones from 2025 and their predictions on what the future will bring for the patent market. Read more (Sisvel Insights)

The USPTO has announced a new pilot programme to incentivise US SMEs, universities and non-profits to participate in standards development organisations. Read more (USPTO)

The American National Standards Institute’s US Standards Strategy rests on a set of assumptions about openness, governance and participation that remain largely unexamined. Read more (Jim Harlan LinkedIn)

Strategy & Analysis

Patent applications to the USPTO fell by 9% in 2025, according to a recently released report. Read more (IFI Claims)

Video technology has been at the heart of a surge in SEP licensing deals beyond the more usual connectivity fields. Read more (IAM) 🔒

Judge Dr Oliver Schön of the Munich I Regional Court discussed cross-border injunctions and FRAND calculations at the 12th annual IP and Competition Forum in Oxford. Read more (ip fray) 🔒